Heartbeat
by Oilux
Summary: Prussia knew he wasn't a country anymore the moment his heart stopped beating. He still breathed and ate like everyone else, but he no longer had the steady pulse that represented life.
1. Chapter 1

I love PruCan. OTP.

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The day that meeting took place was the day that his heart stopped beating. He had been in the sitting room, waiting for his time when the lights in his eyes would go out and he would fade to nothing. That didn't happen though. Instead his heart just stopped. It wasn't a big event, he didn't feel any pain. His heart just stopped. That was the moment he knew. That they had decided that he, the awesome Prussia, was no longer a country. It was no more than an hour later that his brother Germany came crashing into the house. All he found was his former nation of Prussia, kneeling on the ground, clutching at where his heart used to be beating in that once steady beat.

"East? Are you okay?" Germany walked forward slowly, almost as if he was scared that Prussia might disappear if he got to close.

"West? My heart…" He choked on those words.

"Vhat about your heart?" He finally reached close enough to place his large hand on Prussia's back. He was so cold.

"It's…stopped." For the first time since he was little, Germany watched as his brother broke down and cried.

Time passed without notice for a while after that. Prussia hardly left the house, and only his brother, Hungary, and that prick Austria knew about what had happened. To everyone else in the world, he seemed like the same arrogant Prussia, but inside he was cold and alone, without even the beat of his heart to keep him company.

He still went to the world meetings, and he still went through his daily routine. Yet at the same time he felt unattached from the world, as if his body was here but his soul had decided to leave. He stayed in Germany's basement, hardly emerging from the house unless he was needed.

It was a normal meeting that changed his life for the better. That was the day that he met his Birdie. Prussia was walking down the hallway, not even bothering to look up as he walked. His feet shuffled across the floor, scraping the designer shoes that Germany had bought him just for the meetings. His simple quiet peace didn't last long as when he was reaching for the door something collided with him and knocked him straight to the ground.

"Oh maple I am so sorry! Are you okay?" A soft voice said above him as he tried to regain his senses. As Prussia finally looked up his eyes were met with such blue eyes that they were almost violet. The man in front of him offered his hand down to him.

"Hey, America right?" He asked as he got up and brushd himself off, getting rid of the imaginary dust.

"No I'm Canada," he said with a sigh. Prussia lent down to his level, staring down in his eyes. He noticed slowly that it wasn't America, but they did look alike. He had darker colored eyes, he had that one wild strand of hair, and his hair was wavy like France.

"So Canada, you just decided you needed to be graced with my awesome presence? Didn't think that you would go to such drastic measures though."

"W-what? It-it's not like that! I was running late and I was trying to get there and…." Canada trailed off, his face turning a nice cherry red that made Prussia smirk.

"Are we late? Oh well we might as well ditch. Come on!" Prussia loudly exclaimed, dragging the quietly protesting Canadian behind him. Canada followed along quietly, his face red from the fact that Prussia still holding his hand.

"I don't know anything around here, pick a place." Prussia blurted out after they had walked almost three blocks. Canada pinched the bridge of his nose; it was like dealing with his brother all over again.

"I know a pancake house around the corner. They're decent," he said quietly, not even bothering to look to see if the former nation was following.

When they got there Prussia dragged them over to some random table, not even bothering to wait for the hostess to seat them. After apologizing profusely Canada sat down with him. Prussia started rambling on about random things and how awesome he was. Canada nodded along, not even paying that much attention. He just sat there and wondered if he had enough maple syrup at home.

"Hey Birdie are you listening to me?" Prussia leaned over and flicked Canada's curl, making the other squeak a bit.

"I-I was paying attention. When did you start calling me Birdie?"

"Just now," Prussia shrugged, and before anything else could be said their food was placed down in front of them. Canada couldn't even remember ordering, but was relieved when a big stack of pancakes was placed before him.

"Dude what are those?" Prussia asked wearily, eyeing Canada's pancakes.

"Pancakes," the other said happily, dousing them with syrup.

They ate happily, not talking much besides Canada trying to get Prussia to try his pancakes. Prussia of course refused, saying that they 'didn't look awesome enough' which just made Canada roll his eyes. When they were done they split the bill, and parted their ways.

It didn't end their though like Canada though it would. Prussia started to visit often, and one time was forced to eat pancakes. Because as everyone who stereotypes knows, Canada only ever makes pancakes for breakfast. Prussia fell in love with them as soon as it hit his tongue. They went to hockey games together, went to meetings together, and were almost inseparable. It was the best time that Canada could ever have dreamed of.

It was one day that they were wrestling. Somehow they went from arguing to wrestling. Canada wondered for a second if he should stop it, but really he was having too much fun. Somehow he managed to trip, his head landing right against Prussia's chest. Silence reigned through the house at a mile per minute. He could hear Prussia breathing.

That was all he could hear.

Canada shot up like rocket, his violet eyes wide. Prussia looked at him in confusion before it seemed to dawn on him, and he looked away, bowing his head in what seemed like shame. Shakily, Canada pressed his fingers against the neck of his Prussian friend. There was nothing. No heartbeat.

"It stopped beating the moment that they decided that I couldn't be a nation anymore," he said quietly, and for once without any declaration that he was awesome.

Canada didn't say a word, he just enveloped his friend in a hug, pressing his chest to his friends head. Prussia was stiff at first, then cautiously hugged his friend back.

"It's okay. You can listen to my heart whenever you like."

And so they stayed like that, happy and content, listening to the single heartbeat that filled the room.

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Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Heartbeat ch. 2

This is all! I swear~

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Canada and Prussia spent a lot of time together after that. It was difficult to find one without the other, even through Canada was still invisible. He was getting more noticed now because of his hanging around the loudest nation, but he was still hardly known. It made him sad, but as long as he had Prussia with him he was happy. Even Kuma began to recognize Gilbert. It seemed as though everything was going great for everything.

Matthew knew that not having his heartbeat was bugging Gilbert a lot more than he let on initially. Matthew wished he would do something, but really he had no idea what to do. It was one day that he was looking at one of the world maps during at meeting that the solution for everything hit him. In the middle of the meeting he stood up and in his loudest voice he shouted, 'I've got it!' and ran out. Everyone was left staring at him.

"Who was that?" America asked.

"No clue, but I've had enough of you people. I'm leaving," Russia said with his creepy smile before leaving. It wasn't long after that that the movie was cancelled.

Gilbert didn't see Matthew for two weeks after that meeting. Gilbert hadn't been able to attend that meeting, so he had no idea what was wrong with his Matthew. Gilbert couldn't have counted the amount of time he had called and went to his house. The more time that went by the more that Gilbert got worried.

Little did Gilbert know though that Matthew was working on a very important project. He was talking to everyone any anyone really, all to get something to work out. He was pulling as many strings as he could as nation, and even then he was pushing it. His boss knew that he never really asked for a lot, but what he was asking for was something that almost couldn't be done.

Gilbert got more and more worried as the days passed. Matthew's heartbeat had become something like a drug to him, and now without it he couldn't remember what he had done before. He couldn't go to anyone else. Hungary would hit him with a frying pan, Austria was a prick, and his brother just didn't know how to handle emotional situations like this one. gilbert fell into a state of depression, almost never emerging from his room.

It was almost three weeks after that fateful meeting that Gilbert finally heard from Matthew again. He was sitting in his room, almost pouting on his bed. Ludwig came into his room, unannounced, and very loudly by the way, and said very unceremoniously something about an America wanting to see him. Gilbert thought for a minute before he realized that Matthew was finally looking for him. Gilbert (not that he would ever admit it) almost ran to Matthew's house, taking the fastest flight he could get. He was at Matthew's house less than five hours later, panting from running to the street to Matthew's house (man he really needed some exercise). Matthew answered the door, looking more exhausted than he ever had before, his hair was in disarray and he had large bags under his eyes.

"Gilbert! You're finally here! I have great news," Matthew said, letting the other inside his home.

"Does it have anything to do with why you have been ignoring me for so long?"

"Yes, just wait, I have to make a call. Go sit on the couch." Gilbert went over and made himself comfortable, he was looking forward to just spending time with his friend again. Gilbert could hear his voice come through the hallway.

"Ready…..is everything set? Okay….okay…. How can I thank you? Okay, you got it," Gilbert head the click of Matthew hanging up the phone.

Then Matthew was back in the living room with him, just staring at him. As if he was waiting for something to happen. They stared at each other for a while, Matthew waiting patiently, while Gilbert just had no idea what to do. After a couple of minutes Matthew looked disappointed and Gilbert was still confused.

"Birdie? What's going-"

_Thump…..thump…thump…thump….._

Gilbert pressed his hand tightly against his chest. His heartbeat. _His heartbeat_ was finally back.

"Can you feel it? That's what I've been working on for weeks. There's not a city in Canada called New Prussia, all for you. I just couldn't take the fact that you didn't have a heartbeat anymore," Matthew said with a blush.

Gilbert walked over to the other, gently grabbing him and pulling him up to his chest. He was switching the positions that they had kept for years. For once, Matthew was treated to the sound of Gilberts heartbeat, instead of the other way around.


End file.
